THE  REVEREND  COTTON  MATHER 


ON  THE  DEATH  C 


REVEREND  NATHANIEL  COLLINS 


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ELEGY 


BY 


THE  REVEREND  COTTON  MATHER 


ON  THE  DEATH  OF 


THE  REVEREND  NATHANIEL  COLLINS 


Edited  by 
HOLDRIDGE  OZRO  COLLINS,  LL.  D. 


Republished  by 

BAUMGARDT   PUBLISHING  COMPANY 
1 16  North  Broadway,  Los  Angela,  Cal. 


ra 


PRELIMINARY 

THE  REV.  NATHANIEL  COLUNS  WAS  BORN  IN  CAMBRIDGE, 
MASSACHUSETTS,  ON  MARCH  7,  1643,  THE  SIXTH  CHILD  AND 
FOURTH  SON  OF  DEACON  EDWARD  COLLINS  AND  MARTHA,  HIS 
WIFE. 

HE  WAS  GRADUATED  IN  1660  BY  HARVARD  COLLEGE  WITH 
THE  DEGREE  OF  BACHELOR  OF  ARTS,  SUBSEQUENTLY  REC£IV- 
ING  THE  DEGREE  OF  MASTER  OF  ARTS. 

ON  AUGUST  3,  1664,  HE  MARRIED  MARY,  DAUGHTER  OF  MAJOR 
WILLIAM  WHITING  AND  SUSANNAH,  HIS  WIFE,  OF  HARTFORD, 
CONNECTICUT,  AND  ON  NOVEMBER  4,  1668,  HE  WAS  ORDAlNED 
THE  FIRST  MINISTER  OVER  THE  CHURCH  AT  MIDDLETOWN, 
CONNECTICUT,  IN  WHICH  PLACE  HE  DIED  ON  DECEMBER  28,  1684. 

A  VERY  INTIMATE  ASSOCIATION  AND  A  STRONG  AND  PER 
MANENT  AFFECTION  EXISTED  BETWEEN  REV.  COTTON  MATHER 
AND  HIMSELF,  AND  FEW  MOURNED  HIS  EARLY  DEATH  AS  DID 
MR.  MATHER. 

IN  HIS  MAGNALIA  CHRISTI  AMERICANA,  BOOK  4,  CHAPTER  8, 
MATHER  DEVOTED  SEVERAL  PAGES  TO  A  DESULTORY  AND 
TURGID  LAUDATION  OF  NATHANIEL  COLLINS,  HIS  FATHER  AND 
BROTHER  JOHN,  AND  IN  MANY  OTHER  OF  HIS  WRITINGS  HE 
MANIFESTS  HIS  GREAT  SORROW  FOR  THE  LOSS  OF  HIS  FRIEND. 

CHAPTER  8,  OF  THE  MAGNALIA  IS  ENTITLED  GEMINI,  AND, 
FOLLOWING  AN  ACCOUNT  OF  REV.  JOHN  COLLINS  HE  SAYS: 

"A  YOUNGER  BROTHER,  BUT  YET  A  BROTHER  TO  HIM,  WAS 
MR.  NATHANAEL  COLLINS,  AT  WHOSE  DEATH,  DEC.  28,  1684,  IN 
THE  FORTY-THIRD  YEAR  OF  HIS  AGE  (WHEREIN  HE  GOT  THE 
START  OF  HEAVEN!)  THERE  WERE  MORE  WOUNDS  GIVEN  TO 
THE  WHOLE  COLONY  OF  CONNECTICUT  IN  OUR  NEW  ENGLAND, 
THAN  THE  BODY  OF  CAESAR  DID  RECEIVE,  WHEN  HE  FELL 
WOUNDED  IN  THE  SENATE-HOUSE.  READER,  I  WOULD  HAVE 
MADE  AN  ESSAY  TO  HAVE  LAMENTED  THE  FATE  OF  THIS  OUR 
COLLINS  IN  VERSE,  WERE  IT  NOT  FOR  TWO  DISCOURAGEMENTS: 
NOT  BECAUSE  ANNATUS  THE  JESUITE  RECKON'D  IT  A  THING 
WORTHY  OF  SCOFF  IN  OUR  DR.  TWISS,  TO  BE  GUILTY  OF  A 
LITTLE  FLIGHT  AT  POETRY;  FOR  THE  NOBLEST  HANDS  HAVE 
SCANN'D  POETICAL  MEASURES  ON  THEIR  FINGERS;  BUT  BE 
CAUSE  MY  MEAN  FACULTIES  WOULD  NOT  CARRY  ME  BEYOND 


iviiOOGli 


THE  PERFORMANCES,  WHEREOF  THE  GENTLEMAN  IN  THUANUS 
WAS  AFRAID,  WHEN  HE  MADE  IT  A  CLAUSE  IN  HIS  LAST  WILL,. 
THAT  'THEY  SHOULD  NOT  BURDEN  HIS  HEARSE  WITH  BAD  FUN 
ERAL  VERSES/  " 

HOWEVER,  HIS  AFFECTION  FOR  THE  LOST  FRIEND  AND  THE 
GREAT  DESIRE  TO  PERPETUATE  HIS  MEMORY,  SPEEDILY  OVER 
RULED  THIS  DETERMINATION  AND  THE  ELEGY  WAS  WRITTEN 
AND  PUBLISHED  THE  YEAR .  FOLLOWING  THE  DEATH,  OF  MR. 
COLLINS. 

THE  BOOK  IS  EXTREMELY  SCARCE,  AND  ONLY  THE  LIBRARY 
OF  BROWN  UNIVERSITY  IS  KNOWN  TO  POSSESS  A  COPY.  IT  IS 
GUARDED  WITH  THE  MOST  JEALOUS  CARE,  AND  FEW  CAN  GAIN 
ACCESS  TO  ITS  PAGES. 

THE  PAGES  OF  THE  ELEGY  ARE  NUMBERED  FROM  ONE  TO 
TWENTY,  BUT  BY  AN  OVERSIGHT  OF  THE  PRINTER  PAGE  SEVEN 
TEEN  WAS  OMITTED,  AND  THE  TEXT  COVERS  BUT  NINETEEN 
PAGES,  EACH  OF  WHICH  ABOUNDS  WITH  CURIOUS  AND  INTER 
ESTING  NOTES  BY  TBE  AUTHOR. 

IN  1896,  THE  CLUB  OF  ODD  VOLUMES,  IN  BOSTON,  PUBLISHED 
A  RE-PRINT  OF  ONE  HUNDRED  COPIES,  WHICH  WERE  EDITED 
BY  MR.  JAMES  F.  HUNNEWELL,  ALL  OF  WHICH  WERE  TAKEN 
BY  SUBSCRIPTION,  BUT  IT  HAS  BEEN  IMPOSSIBLE  TO  INDUCE 
ANY  OF  THE  POSSESSORS  TO  PART  \VITH  HIS  COPY. 

THIS  RE-PRINT  IS,  PAGE  FOR  PAGE,  AND  LINE  FOR  LINE, 
SIMILAR  TO  THE  LITTLE  VOLUME  IN  THE  LIBRARY  OF  BROWN 
UNIVERSITY.  THE  PROOF  SHEETS  WERE  SENT  TO  MR.  H.  L. 
KOOPMAN,  THE  LIBRARIAN,  AND  A  VIGILANT  COMPARISON 
WITH  THE  ORIGINAL  FAILED  TO  DISCLOSE  ANY  ERRORS. 

THE  EDITOR  OBTAINED  A  COPY  OF  THE  ELEGY  SOLELY  AS 
AN  ADDITION  TO  HIS  COLLECTION  OF  MEMORIALS  RELATING 
TO  HIS  ANCESTOR;  BUT  ITS  MOST  ENTERTAINING  DICTION  IN 
THE  SHOWING  OF  THE  TREND  OF  THE  RELIGIOUS  THOUGHT 
AND  EXPRESSION  OF  COLONIAL  NEW  ENGLAND,  AND  THE 
VEHEMENT  ABSOLUTISM  OF  THE  OLD  PURITAN  DIVINE,  WILL 
MAKE  THIS  VOLUME  A  VALUABLE  CONTRIBUTION  TO  THE 
LIBRARIES  OF  THOSE  WHO  ARE  LOVERS  OF  SCARCE  AND  CURI 
OUS  BOOKS. 


LOS  ANGELES.  CALIFORNIA. 
OCTOBER,  1909. 


AN 

ELEGY 

ON  The  Much-to-be-deplored  DEATH 
OF  That  Never-to-be-forgotten  PERSON, 

The  Reverend 
Mr.  NATHANAEL  COLLINS; 

Who  After  he  had  been  many  years  a  faithful 
Pastor  to  the  Church  at  MiddletoWn  of 

Connecticut  in  New-England, 
about  the  For/p  third  year  of  his  Age  Expired; 

On  28/A.   10.  moneth  1684. 

Tester,  Christianum  hie  de  christiano  Vera  proferre. 

Hier.  Epist  Paulae. 

Sic  oculos,  sic  ille  manus,  $ic  era  ferebat 
Dignum  laude  virum  musa  vetat  morl         Horat 
BOSTON  in  NEW- ENGLAND 

Printed  by  Richard  Pierce  for  Obadiah  Gill. 
Anno  Christi  1685. 


Reader ; 

To  Lament  the  Dead  in  Verse,  having  been 
even  from  the  Dayes  of  David  until  Now, 
m  some  sort  almost  as  Common  as  Death  -it 
self,  an  Apology  for  that  thing  at  this  time 
is  altogether  superfluous;  Nor  have  the  Noblest 
Hands  disdained  to  scan  Potetical  measures  on 
their  Fingers,  tho'  an  Annatus  has  derided  a 
Tvviss  for  not  counting  that  Exercise  beneath 
him.    But  there  seems  more  needful  an  Excuse 
for  the  meaness  of  this  Composure,  which  is  born 
before  its  Time  from  a  Brain  disus'd  to  such 
Performances;  in  which  /  have  been  so  farr 
from  the  accuracy  of  Virgil,  who  having  laid  out 
eleven  years  upon  his  ^Eneids,  after  all  judged 
them  not  polished  enough  to  be  published,  that 
a  few  stolen  hours  were  all  I  had  to  shape  them 
in,  and  to  which  I  could  never  have  been  drawn t 
if  the  Subject  of  these  Rhythmes,  had  like  the 
Gentleman  in  Thuanus  upon  his  Death-bed,  given 
sufficient  caution  That  his  Herse  should  not  be 
burdened  with  bad  Funeral  verses.     For  this, 
my  utmost  Plea  is,  That  the  sense  of  Duty,  awak 
ened  by  the  invitation  of  others  hereunto,  has 

produced 

A2 


produced  this  Rapsody,  for  a  Censure  on  which, 
I  appeal  from  Curiosity  to  Candour,  expecting 
no  Laurel  on  this  occasion  but  what  I  merit  by 
my  good  Affection  to  the  Memory  of  a  True  Is 
raelite  worthy  to  be  had  in  Everlasting  Re 
membrance. 

C.  M. 


(I) 


FUNERAL-TEARS 
At  the  Grave  of  the  Much  Desired 

And  Lamented 

Mr.  NATHANEEL  COLLINS? 

Who  changed  Death  for  LIFE, 

December  28.  1684. 


— But  shall  he  unobserved  steal  away? 
Or  Israel  not  afford  an  hand  to  lay  (a) 
An  Evil-boding  Death  to  heart?  no  Son 
Of  All  the  Prophets  when  Elijah's  gone 
Look  after  him? 

Forbid  this,  Heaven!    Showr 
On  a  bereaved  Clod  of  Earth  a  pow*r 
To  yield  a  spire  of  grass  (b)  whereon  may  grow 
The  Name]  of  COLLINS,  help  a  verse  to  show 
His  Vertues,  as  that  Flock  acknowledged 
Their  doe  (c)  when  to  the  Spicy  Mountains  fled. 
Assist  me ef  ihou  who  hast  engag'd  the  Just 
A  Memory,  (d)  to  whom  the  precious  dust 
Of  Saints  Dissolved  remains  united!— 

I  SIGH  the  Fate  for  which  our  broached  eyesv 
Spend  floods  of  brine;  at  which  a  dire  surprise 
Of  a  soul-chilling  horrour  doth  invade 
The  Soul  not  stone  before ;  at  which  are  made 
In  serious  minds  as  many  wounds  as  were 
To  Caesar  (e)  given.    Reader,  shake  to  hear; 

The 

(a)  Isai,  57.1.   (b)  allusion  to  the  poetical  fancy 
of  Ajax  (c)  Dorcas,  Act.  9.39.  (d)  Psa.  112.6. 
(<»)  whom  the  Roman  conspirators  {.slew  with  23  wounds.1 


(2) 


The  DEATH  of  COLLINS  tis.    He  dead  without 
A  Paper  winding  sheet  to  lay  him  out! 
A  shame.     O  that  Egyptian  Odours,  and 
Embalmers  too   (f)   were  now  at  my  command! 
I  want  them.     But  Hyperboles  withdraw, 
Be  gone  Licentious  Poets.     What  I  saw 
On  this  occasion  let  some  countrey  Rymes 
That  call  a  Spade  a  Spade,  tell  after-Times. 

DEPRIV'D  Jf  Charrets  &  of  Horsemen  too,  (g) 
I  on  the  wings  of  Contemplation  flew; 
Into  the  howling  desart  thus  I  went, 
The  cut-off  garden  (h)  where  our  David  sent 
His  sheep  to'  feed  and  fold,  from  which  he  drave 
The  Rav'nous  Tigre-brood,  in  which  he  gave 
His  herds  a  Rest  at  noon,  (i)  On  Jordans  Banks 
I  meant  to  sit  with  Thoughts  on  this  and  Thanks. 
But  there  found  I  an  Elect  Ladyt  (k)  There 
Grov'ling  in  Ashes,  with  disheveled  hair, 
Smiting  her  breast,  black' d  with  a  mourning  dress, 
Resembling  mother  Sion  in  distress;  (1) 
Or  like  a  Rachel  in  a  Bethl'cm  plight,  (m) 
But  with  a  Beauty  glittering  too,  that  might 
The  Features  show  that  Judah's  preaching  King 
Much  did  once  in  his  machless  Raptures  sing;(«) 

I 

(f)  Gen.  50.2.     (g)  all.  to  2.  King  2.12. 

(h)  so  some  render  the  Garden  of  Nuts,  Cant. 

6.1 1.  in  a  phrase  very  accommodable  to  America. 

(i)  Cant.  1.7  (k)  some  (tho'  groundlesly 

though)  suppose  a  Church  intended  by  that  name  in. 

2.  Job*  i.     (1)  all  to  the  figure  thereof  in  B.K/S  ingcni- 

us  poem,     (m)  Mat.  2,  18.     (n)  vis.  the  Canticles. 


(3) 


I  found  her.    There  amaz'd,  into  a  Tree  (o) 

Almost  transformed  with  passion :  Sympathie 

Produced  this  Enquiry,  Who  I  wonder, 

Seems  Sorrow's  Center,  Sorrow's  Essence  yonder? 

Lo,  I  no  sooner  had  approached  near, 

Then  from  above  this  voice  did  thunder  \Here 

Pitty,  the  Church  of  Middletown  bespeaks 

Set  in  the  midst  of  sivoons  and  sobs  and  shrieks. 

With  Bowells  full  of  */  I  hastned  to 

The  Wet  place,  asking  Why  she  grieved  so; 

And  had  this  Answer. 

Sir,  Ask  you  this?    Are  you  a  Sojourner 
Within  New-Englands  bounds  &  know  not  why? 
I've  lost  great  COLLINS,  man !    O  that,  O  there, 
From  this  Tears-Fountain  (p)  is  my  misery. 

Immortal  COLLINS!  what  a  Charm  is  in 

So  dear  a  Name?  'Tis  Honey  mixt  with  gall 

To  think,  I  had  him,  but  I  miss  him ;  Seen 

He  was,  sad  word!  (q)  but  so  no  more  he  shall. 

My  Love  is  Talkative ;  tis  fit  that  I 

Thus  vent  my  smather'd  Fire.     The  Rabbins  say 
That  when  good  old  Methusela  did  dye, 

His  Wife  nine  husbands  lost  in  him  that  day; 

Like  Looser  I  will  speak :  The  Lamentation 
Over  Jerus'lems  Woe  doth 'suit  me  well, 

A  Widow  how  is  she  become!    "Privation 
Seems  now  to  be  my  only  Principle. 

One 

Co)  all.  to  such  a  metamorphosis  celebrated  in  Ovid. 

(p)  Hinc  illae  lacrymae.    (q)  fuimuf  Troes.     \\Lam.  i.t. 


(4) 


Once  did  I  prise,  Tl  now  praise  what  I  had. 

The  box  of  his  Fames  Oyntment*  now  shall  send 
Abroad  its  Odours.    Alexander  f  dead 
Had  not  the  scent  which  doth  from  him  ascend. 

Some  Elogyes  compose  to  try  their  AVits; 

The  Gout,  (r)  the  Feavour,  Hyea  &  Injustice,  (s) 
Folly  (t)  and  Poverty  [uj  have  in  the  Fits 

Of  Ranting  Writers  had  a  comeliness. 

My  Theme, my  Humour  is  not  such  an  one; 

Who  to  proye  Cicero  not  eloquent^ 
Pen'd  Books,  (x)who  truth  &  ivorth  for  £Mar<&  disown 

Such  only  count  Collins  not  excellent. 

Bright  COLLINS,  Star  of  the  first  Magnitude, 
Extol  him  how  could  1 1    I  sha'n't  be  chid 

If  as  much  time  on  him  my  gazes  shou'd 

Spend,  as  that  Greek  (y)  in's  Panegyric  did. 

O  that  Apelles  were  my  servant  now 

To  limn  this  Hero,  but  his  utmost  All 

Would  blush,  and  draw  a  vail  upon  the  Brow(z 
Below  whose  Majesty  his  skill  would  falL- 


*Eccles.  7.1.    ^from  whose  corpse  'tis  said  there 
went  a  smell  surprisingly  fragrant,     (f)  praised  by 
Pichennerus,  \\praised  by  Huttenus,  (s)  praised  by 
Glaucus  [t]  praised  by  Erasmus,  [til  praised  by 
Pierius,  all  in  set  poems  or  orations,     (x)  as  once 
an  humVursome  person  did.  (y)  Socrates,  who 
spent  15  year  in  framing  of  one  Panegyric,  one  ora 
tion,     (z)  as  that  painter  did  upon  his  Minerva's. 


(5) 


I  would  that  you,  my  friend,  each  drop  of  Ink 
Could  fill  with  Elogyes  no  fewer  then 

Tne  little  eels  *that  may  swim  in't :  I  think 

They  all  should  celebrate  this  Floitfr  of  men. 

I  would  too  that  each  syllable  all  round 

This  Globe  with  perfum'd  Air  might  fly  about; 

Or  your  Stentorophonic  Tube  \  might  sound 
The  praise  of  admirable  Collins  out. 

Death,  thou  All-biting^  Prodi  gall,  a  blow 

Of  thine  hath  laid  within  the  ground  a  plant 

Surpassing  Cedars.  I  did  hardly  know 
A  spice  whose  quantity  on  it  was  scant. 

Good  Nature  and  good  Education  were 

In  him  conjoyn'd  to  such  an  high  degree, 

As  gain'd  the  Title  of  that  HEniperour, 

In  this  rare  soul  Mankinds  delight  we  see. 

Facetious  Snow-balls  from  his  candid  breast 
With  early  Magic  hence  would  captivate 

His  near,  Familiars,  so  that  he  was  blest 

Who  could  have  leave  to  be  his  Intimate. 

Hence  from  his  Cradle  clothes  his  neat  discretiont 

Mounted  upon  bridled  Urbanity, 
Before  a  most  obliging  Disposition, 

Triumphant  rode  in  ev'ry  Company. 

But 

*of  which  I  can  with  my  Microscope  see  incredible 
hundreds  playing  about  in  one  drop  of  water.    4which 
speaking-Trumpet  may  be  heard  a  vast  way  off* 
fa//,  lo  ye  Acrost.  of  Mors  Mordens  Omnia  Rostra  Suo 
||Tit.  Vesp.  who  was  termed,  Delicae  humani  generis. 


(6) 


But  Oh  the  fruits  of  Heav'nly  Graces  dew 
Upon  so  rich  a  soyl!    Let  Peter  bid  • 

His  Brethren  add  one  graces  pearl  unto 

The  *rest :  The  whole  heap  was  in  Collins  hid. 

You'd  scarce  believe  the  FAITH  residing  in 

This  Child  of  Abraham,  the  strong  Impression 

On  his  heart  of  Realities  unseen,!! 

Of  Gospel  glories,  of  things  past  expression. 

How  dearest  to  him  his  Redeemer;  how 

With  brave  Ignatius^  he  could  warble  out 
O  Christ  my  Love;  how  we  might  e'en  allow 
A  JESUS  grav'd  fiwithin  his  breast  no  doubt. 

His  VERTUE  took  this  sister  by  the  hand ; 

And  with  her  train  accompanyed  thus, 
In  vert'ous  flights  he  went — how  much  beyond 

An  Aristides;  **'or  a  Regulus! 

For  KNOWLEDGE,  tho  in  him  poor  Harvard  lost 

One  of  her  tallest  sons,  one  of  the  best 
Souldiers  in  her  Minerva's  Camp,  my  boast 
Of  higher  Wisdom  in  him  i'n't  the  least. 

My  Moses,  he  in  Egypts  Learning  verstjf 

Had  more  then  that;  Accomplishments  Divine 

In  exercise  of  which,  while  he  converst 

With  Israels  Jah,  to  us  his  face  did  shine.fl! 

Yare 

*v.  the  glorious  catalogue  2.  Pet.  1.5-7.     I1-*  cor.  4 
18.    iwhose  saying  often  was,  Amor  meus  est  crucifixus 
^  which  is  grosly  and  fabulously  reported  of  another. 
**two  glories  of  the  heathen,  the  one  for  Justice,  the 
other  for  Fidelity.    ±*Act.  7.22.   ±\\Exod.  34.35. 


(7) 


Yare  at  his  GRAMMAR,  kenning  how  and  when 
To  speak :  his  tongue  a*  tree  of  life,  no  ( dross 

Proceeding  from  this  Chrysostom^ )  the  penn 
Of  Ready  tvriters  like,  not  barbarous. 

How  lofty  in  his  RHETORIC,  when  with  cryes 

To  the  Omnipotent  reduced  to  sayfl 
Let  me  done,  thereby  he  scal'd  the  Skyes, 

And  with  the  old  lArtill'ry  got  the  day. 

In  the  best  LOGIC,  Oh  how  Rational! 

How  abie  to  spy  Canaan  through !  how  ready 
To  baffle  a  Temptation!  and  withal 

Full  of  his  Oracles  sound,  solid,  steady! 

How  right  was  his  ARITHMETIC  that  knew 

Wisely  to  measure  his  ownlf  dayes!  How  right 

Was  his  GEOMETRY,  that  found  the  true 

Bulk  of  the  earth!  a  point  **not  worth  the  sight. 

In  his  ASTRONOMY  how  ripe  his  eye 

Reaching  to  things  beyond  the  stars!    Alwayes 

Exact  in  this  no-vain  fl  fl  PHILOSOPHY, 

That  in  all  things  he  found  his  Makers  II II  praise. 

Master 

*Prov.  154     \\jgolden  mouth,    ^as  in  Exod.  32. 
10.     feriendi  licentiam  petit  a  Mose  qui  fecit  Mo- 
sen.    \preces  et  lacrymae  sunt  Arm  a  Ecclesiae.    \\Psa. 
90.  12.    **and  an  invisible  point  no  doubt  would  it 
be  to  an  humane  eye  in  the  starry  Heaven,  tho  it 
probably  contains  above  Ten  Thousand  Millions  of 
cubic  German  leagues.    H^as  some  other  Philoso 
phy  is  call'd  in  Col.  2.8.     j|   ||presentem  docuit 
quaelibet  herba  Deum. 


(8) 


Master  of  all  the  Arts  that  shew  us  what 

'Tis  from  each  Bad  unto  each  Good  to  goe; 

To  all  his  Knowledge  last  subjoyning  that,-*- 
All  that  I  know  is,  that  I  nothing  know. 

For  TEMPERANCE,  he  hVd  upon  it,  hee 

Like  Hooper  spar  d  much  in  his  diet,  more 

In  's  speech,  but  most  in  Time;  the  hateful  Three 

^Fly-gods  o'  th'  world  meanwhile  he  car'd  n6t  for. 

To  Meat  a  *  Daniel;  and  a  Rechabite  fl 

To  Drink;  like  a  John  Baptistf  in  his  Rayment; 

His  sleep,  like  David, \  robbing  in  the  Night; 

Still  putting  Nature  off  with  scanty  payment. 

Abstemious  in  all  things  at  such  a  rate 

Some  (like  Eliza-*' in  her  Brothers  eyes, 

Him  Brother  Temp(rance  could  denominate . 

And  Justice  caus'd  what  e'er  lookt  otherwise. 

For  PATIENCE  whole  beds  and  loads  of  it 
In  his  soul  flourisht.     What  Affliction  meant 

He  felt  as  much  as  most  do  talk,  and  yet 

Groans  might  from  him,  but  Grumbles  *"ne're 

(be -sent. 

-+ Socrates  his  tfoc  tantum  sc\o,  me  nihil  scire.     \\1he 
Pleasures,  and  Profits  &  Honours  of  the  world,  be 
come  the  3  Belzebubs  of  it,  according  to  the  Distich 
Ambitiosus  honos  et  opes  et  ioeda.  voluptas, 

Ha^c  tria  pro  trino  Numine  mundus  habet. 
*Dan.  1. 12.      \Jer.  35-6.     -\Mat.  3.4.     tP^a. 
119.62.    -i-JC.  Edw.  vi.  us'd  to  call  the  Princess 
Elizabeth,  his  sister  Temperance.     *||/f  i^as  the 
sentence  of  a  great  Saint  under  great  pain,  I  groan 
but  do  not  grumble. 


(9) 


And  under  Provocation,  'twas  a  care 

By  him  maintained  to  smile  Affronts  away. 

Not  fir  em  g  when  meer  Cock-boats  landed  are ; 
Seldom  deco/d  from  his  mild  Yea,  or  Nay. 

No  Brother  of  *  Achilles;  like  unto 

The  Upper  Regions  free  from  Tempests ;  full 
Of  the  doves  temper;  Able  for  to  go 

Over  an  Alphabet,  fi  tho  Anger  pull. 

His  GODLINESS  steer' d  Hall  his  motions  still: 
God  had  his  thrice-hot ;  f  love,  his  life,  his  Whole: 

Gods  Honour  was  his  End,  and  in  the  Will 
Of  God  he  moulded^,  his  renewed  soul. 

His  sev'rall  Turns  on  aReligious  threed 

He  sought  to  string :  fixing  that  Motto  on 

What  signal  he  in  both  his  Callings  did, 

With  much  devotion,  Lord  ^- for  thee  alone. 

How 

*whom  Homer  -so  often  represents  in  fumes. 
^as  was  wont  to  do  the  Renowned  Roman.  Empe- 
rour.     \\Allusion  to  Sola  fit  humana?  pietas  cyno- 
sura  carinae.    fAmo  te,  Domine,  plusquam  meos, 
plusquam  mea,  plusquam  me.    Bern.  ±all.  to 
Rom.  6.17.  gr.     +-as  he,  Propter  te,  Do- 
mine,  propter  te. 


(10) 


How  James-like  were  his  \\Pray'rs,  how  did  the  word 
Of  Life,  his  heart  Christs  fl  Library  affect ! 

What  God-ward  flames  did  his  pure  *  mind  afford, 
Of  any  Ord' nance  dreading  a  Neglect ! 

BROTHERLY-KINDNESS  did  procure  the 

[Law 

Of  kindness  in  his  "flips,  a  Denison 
Of  Philadelphia   [a]  in  him  we  saw ; 

Heir  to  the  soul  of  the.  Apostle    [b]John. 

A  Zuinglian  entire  that  ever  said[c] 

Let  me  see  Christ  in  anyone,  I  shall 

Him  with  both  Armes  embrace.    Whatever  made 
Distinctions,  this  with  him  removed  all.  > 

And  CHARITY  in  him  warm  Beams  extended 
To  all  the  race  of  Man ;  Philanthropy 

Him  like  a  shaddow  every  where  attended ; 

COLLINS  made  up  of  Love,  we  us'd  to  cry. 

An 

\\of  whom  Ecclesiastical  History  relates,  that  his  hard- 
ned  knees  wore  the  Badges  of  his  hard  prayers. 
H  as  Jerome  remark  t  of  his  friend  Nepotian.    *Ani- 
ma  justi  Coelum  e-st.     ^prov.  31.26,     [a]  which  name 
signifies  brotherly  lave,     [b]  Heb.  13.1  gr. 
C&]  of  whom  tis  said  that  when  through  age  he  could 
do  no  more,  he  would  give  that  short  Lesson  for  a  long 
Sermon  to  his  congregation,  my  Children,  love  one 
another,     [c]  a  savory  speech  recorded  of  the  famous 
Zuinglius. 


An  Injury  seldom  resenting  more 

Than  Cranmer  or  the  Martyr ologer* 

Who  urn'd  his  Ashes,  of  whom  tis  notour, 

Of  good,  for  ill,  Turns  from  them  sure  you,  were. 

In  fine,  as  the  ^Philosopher  did  give 

His  friend  advice,  suppose  a  Cato's  eye 

On  you,  and  so  be  wise;  when  I  would  live 
Uprightly,  I'd  imagine  COLLINS  by. 

Thus  was  he  for  a  Christian,  and  thus  he 
With  Conversation  lightned,  every  Deed 

Of  his  in  print  a  Sermon  yeeldeth  meerll 
But  now  what  as  a  Minister  you'l  heed. 

Methinks  I  see  how  fraught  the  Pulpit  was 
Of  Grace,  of-  Gravity,  of  Wisdom,  when 

With  most  harmonious  notes  a  Barnabas 
He  now  was,  and  a  Boanerges  then : 

How  deep  his  sermons  were,  where  Elephants, 
Might  take  content,  and  yet  withal  how  plain, 

Suited  unto  the  leather  Dublet's  Wants, 
All  in  a  near  unimitable  Strain : 

What 

*Holy  Mr.  Fox.     ^Seneca. 
||Ille  pius  pastor,  quo  non  prestantior  unus, 
Qui  faciendo  docet,  quae  facienca  docet. 


What  undasht  ^wine  he  gave  me:  what  a  Zeal 
For  me  consumed  him :  how  material 

He  was  in1  Dispensations  aim'd  to  heal 
Distempers  in  me,  yet  how  Spiritual: 

He  like  an  Ox*  was,  alwaies  labouring 

To  feed  me,  but  he  like  an  Eagle*  too 

Did  soar  to  Pisgah's  Top,  from  thence  to  bring 
Celstial  Visions  pore-blind  us  unto. 

One  is  a  Doctor  most  fl  Invincible 

Another  most  •«-  Profound,  a  Third  is  counted 
A  Subtil  -*•  one ;  (Scholastic  Records  tell) 

A  Fourth  j.  Angelical  by  none  surmounted: 

COLLINS  was  all  of  this.     The  noble  ,':!      Three 
Geneva  crowns,  enlightning  Calvin,  and 

The  thundring  Farcl  join'd  auspiciouslie 

With  shouring   Viret,  here  in  one  did  stand. 

For  Memory  almost  a  Seneca^  " 

For  Judgment  and  Fancy  inferior 
To  few ;  in  learning  rich,  and  ev'ry  way 

He  was  a  furnisht  Gospel-Orator. 

How 

•fall,  to  2.  Cor.  2.17.  gr.    **a//.  to  those  2  creatures 
in  Rev.  4.7.  whereof  by  the  former  some  will  have  the 
Pastor,  &  by  the  latter  the  Teacher  of  a  Church  to 
be  meant.      If  so  Alexander  Hklcs.      +-so  Bradwar- 
dine.     -+ so  Scotus.  u  ±so  Aquinas.         ! :  ;  thus  dis 
tinguished  in  an  Epigram   of  BezaV.     ||  \\whose 
tenacious  Memory  is  to  all  Ages  memorable. 


(13) 


How  many  *L;y<fttw-hearts  reputed  him 
A  \\Clatviger,  by  him  unlocktf    To  us 

For  Light  giv,n  to  our  House  how  much  Esteem 
He  had  as  an  \.Oecolampadius! 

To  save  poor  me  and  mine,  Oh  how  severe^ 

His  Labours  were!    how  lasting  his  Renown 

Must  to  my  Offspring  be,  Once  (saying)  were 

Doves  eyes  within  the  Locks  of-*-  Middletown! 

My  Neighbourhood  shar'd  with  me  too ;  he  gave 
Some  Spirit  unto  them :  and  then  his  -*•  Haven 

He  chose:  So  on  the  DayU*  we  us'd  to  have 

Heaven  from  him,  from  us  he  flew  to  Heaven. 

The  Age  of  Perkins  **just  attained,  he  thought 

It  time  to  follow  him.     But  Why  so  fast? 
The  cause  you  know  that  of  such  things  is  brought 
Belong'd  to  him,  he  only  grew  too  fast$ 

More 

*0//.  to  Act.  16.14.     \\an  excellent  Divine,  the 
English  of  whose  Name  seems  to  be  Key-carrier: 
^another,  whose  Name  in  likelyhood  was  House- 
Lamp,     -^observing  the  Motto  of  the  Emperour  Se- 
verus,  which  was  LABOREMUS.    -*-a//.  to  Cant 
4.7  where  by  those  expressions  some  understand 
Christian  Teachers  surrounded  with  their  believ 
ing  Hearers.    -»•  One  of  his  last  Services  was  that 
he  assisted  in  a  Day  of  Prayer  at  New-Haven,  im 
mediately  on  which  he  sickned.     \\*He  died  on  a  Sab 
bath  Day  about  the  beginning  of  the  Morning  Ex 
ercise.  **about  44. 
U  Jmmodicis  brcvis  est  actas  et  rara  senectus. 

B. 


(14) 


More  would  I  say  but  Heart-corroding  Anguish 
Layes  that  check  on  me,  you  have  lost  him  now. 

Broken  with  thy  big  Loss  dear  Friend,  I  languish : 

Hence  would  my   Tears  more  than  .my  River  flow 

Now  in  Micaiahs  Trance  *I  seem  to  see 

For  Food  on  mountains,  wandring  Shepherdless, 

And  Shiftless  rambling,  what  belongs  to  me. 
Wast  Park  of  mine  that  now  no  Keeper  has ! 

Lord,  is  my  Night  come  shall  Impenitent 

Transgressours  now  continue  -so?    Shall  it 

Upon  my  Meeting-House,  while  men  repent, 

This  and  that  man  born  here  N  no  more  be  writ? 

Shall  a  forsaken  now  Society 

Without  its  Head,  its  Heart,  its  Eyes  remain? 
And  like  Isaiah's  woful  Vineyard  ly(a) 

With  withering  Grapes  abandoned  by  the  Rain? 

O  Ghastly   Omens!  if  Paraeus  dy 

Let  Heidleberge  look  to't.    If  Austin  go 

Let  Hippo  tremble.     If  Elisha  fly (b) 

After  his  Master,  next  year  brings  a  wo 

I 

*i.  King.  22.  17.     \\allusion  to  Psal  87.  5. 

[a]  all  to  Isai.  5.     [b]  2  King.  15.20. 

'Tis  one  of  the  Jewish  Oracles,  Quando  Lumi- 

naria  patiuntur  Eclipsin,  malum  est  signum 

mundo. 


U5) 


I  fear  of  both  sorts  now  \c]  Mortalities, 

Of  Famines  too  I  fear  the  [d]  worst,  I  fear 

The  Gallop  of  no  less  Calamities. 

Then  can  be  wrap'd  in  a  pale  Comets  Hair. 

Amidst  these  hideous  Frights  perplext,  I  mourn 

With  Incohaercni  Throbs  you  see.     Now  tell  me 

Whether  it  be  not  just  that  thus  forlorn 

I  here  bewail  this  that  has  late  befel  me. 

SHE  said;  Her  heavy  words  were  hardly  out 
When,  as  one  planet-struck,  a  doleful  shout 
Of  the  surviving  COLLINSes  detaind 
Me  from  Replies  to  what  had  been  complain'd. 
To  fill  the  Stage  there  seem'd  to  throng  a  croud 
Of  his  Relations  to  us.     First  aloud 
His  Aged  Parents  with  drench'd  Hankerchiefs 
Saw  and  had  cause  thus  to  proclaim  their  Griefs : 

A  Son,  our  Staff  and  II Stork-;  (said  they)    A  Son, 
Our  Benjamin,  Alas,  must  he  be  gone 
To  his  Long-Home  before  us?    Heaven  more 
May  now  be  Heaven  to  us  than  before. 

Farewel 

[c]  Some  have  observed,  that  the  Death  of  a 
faithful  Minister  in  a  place  where  he  hath  done 
God  much  service,  is  oft  attended  with  a  great 
Mortality  among  other  persons  in  that  place. 
/.  Collins.    Elijahs  Lamentation,    p.  18.  [d]  See  Amos 
8. 1 1.     \\A  Bird  fam'd  for  its  regard,  to  its  Dam. 

B  2 


Farewel,  thou  world  of  *Dirt;  we  meekly  wait 
But  for  a  \\Call  too.    This  deplored :  Straight 
His  Brethren  not  as  a  ^Jehoiakim 
But  as  a  ^Jonathan,  bemoaned  him, 
With  this,  We  live  to  see  the  Joseph  die, 
Whom  we  thought  born  for  our  Adversity ! 

His  Widdow  then,  (the  tender  Whiting  swam 
Thro'  the  Black  *-sea  of  Death  to  us)  /  came 
(Said  She)  to  bear  a  part  with  you.    But  I 
Must  in  deep  Silence  do' I.    That  ev'ry  Sigh 
Of  mine--  0  that  it  Marbles  might  erect 
To  him,  for  lack  of  whom  I'm  thus  deject. 

And  then  his  Orphans,  all  disabled  add 
O  could  ive  say^—that  once  a  Father  had, 
A  Father  whose  paternal  over-sight 
Did  make  us  over  happy,  whose  Delight 
Was  in  our  Welfare,  ivhose  Behaviours 
Still  taught  us — Mercy!  what  a  Loss  is  OUT'S! 

In  this  Distraction  mixing  once  again 
A  Consolation-cup;  [f]  Thick  Mists  amain 
About  us  gathering;  a  Murmur  there 
Of  the  blest  Shade  himself  we  then  might  hear. 

Fond 

*0ne  of  the  most  splendid  Cities  -wherein,  is  hence  ap 
positely  term'd  Lutetia.     \\Vitam  habentes  in  pati- 
entfa,  Mortem  in  desiderio.    -\see    Jer.  22.17. 
±v.  2.  Sam.  1.17.     +-all.  to  the  Mare  mortuum. 
\.fl  such  the  Jews  were  ivont  to  have  at  their  Fune 
rals. 


(18) 


[keep 
FOND  Mortals,  wipe  your  eyes  (said  he)  pray 

That  liquor  for  your  selves.   *poor  Envy  'tis 
Which  prompts  your  Threnodies  for  me.    To  weep 
For  my  sake,  is  but  to  Ignore  my  Bliss. 

0  what  a  world  of  smoke  of  dust  of  Folly 

Am  I  say  I'd  II  from !   No  sin  shall  me  annoy, 
And  no  Temptation  more  to  be  unholy 

Shall  e'er  molest  me  in  my  Masters  JOY. 

1  have  my  Ragged  Mantle  dropt ;  I  have 

All  Vanity  and  all  Vexation^ 
Escap'd,  my  Clay  safe  kept  within  a  Grave 
Preserv'd  lies  for  the  Resurrection. 

No  Cross  (g) shall  ever  gall  my  shoulders  more, 
From  God,  correcting  my  disorders,  and 

No  Club  e're  strike  me,  red  with  ancient  Gore, 
Still  by  each  Cain  (h)  retained  in  his  hand, 

I'm  got  within  the  Vail,  and  there  I  see 

The  ever-glorious  Face  of  the  (i)GOD-MAN; 

And  he  with  Transports  doth  convey  to  me 
As  much  of  GOD  as  entertain  I  can. 


*all.  to  Luk.  23.28.     \\all.  to  Phil.  1.23.  where 
to  depart,  is  by  some  translated  to  loose  Anchor, 
f  Mors  Beatitudinis  principium,  Laborum  meta, 
peremptoria  p'eccatorum,  Aug.  (g)  Christ  &  his 
Cross  part  at  Heavens  door' for  there's  no  room  for 
Crosses  in  Heaven.     Rutherf.  Epist.     (h)  Caini 
adhuc  clavus  Abelis  sanguine  rub  ens  ubique  circum- 
fertur.    Bucholtz.     (i)   The  Heaven  of  Heaven 
pourtray'd  in  Joh.  17.24. 

(17  is  omitted  in  the  original.) 


(19) 


I  Know,  I  Live,  I  Love;  But  how?    forbear 

To  be  inquisitive:  It  can't  be  told 
To  you;  No,  tho  you  all  (k) Hebricians:  were: 

Nor  can  shell-vessels  (l)this  things  meaning  hold. 

.1  find  besides  my  loving  Guardians,  here, 

Here  the  Good  Angels  that  convey'd  me  thro' 

The  Divel-haunted  Dungeon-Atmosphere, (m) 
To  mine  annex  their  Hallelujahs  do. 

Here,  me  the  Chorus  of  the  glorify' d, 

The  polisht  (n) stones,  now  in  the  Temple  plac,t 
The  twice  cloath'd  (o)  Sou  Is,  salute  on  ev'ry  side; 

I  see  Nathaneel  (/>)here,  I  know  the  rest. 

Be  glad  that  I  am  here,  and  after  hye, 

Your  selves  with  diligence,  all  posting  hither, 

Precepts  and  Patterns  left,  my  Counsels  eye, 
And  Copyes,  so  we  shall  be  soon  together. 

Souls,  follow  me.    Anon  the  Stars,  the  Sands, 

The  Atoms  of  the  Universe — a  Scrol 
Like  Heaven  fill'd  with  Nines,  for  cypher  stands, 

Compar'd  to  the  Long  joyes  Uthat  over  us  may  roll. 

(k)  skiFd  in  the  language  that  bold  conjectures  think 
(o  be  Heavens  Dialect.     (1)  all.  to  2.  cor.  4.7.  gr. 
(m)  the  territores  whereto  the  apostate  troops  of  Lucifer 
seem  to  be  confined,  from  eph.  2.2  (n)  all.  to  2  cor.  5.5 
(o)  all.  to  2.  ibid,  where  an  upper  garment  of  glory 
is  engaged  to  the  souls  on  which  an  under  garment 
of  grace  is  wrought  with  the  Eternal  Spirits  Needle 
work,     (p)  v.  Joh.  1.47.     (q)  a  thing  rationally  sung 
by  the  German  Swan  the  night  before  he  died.    \\a  line 
purposely  too  long  for  the  verse  but  too  short  not- 
[original  illegible!    haddow  of  ETERNITY. 


(20) 


A  PERIOD  this  puts  to  the  Tragaedy. 
He  vanisht;  They  retired;  confused  / 
Now  quite  alone,  have  nothing  else  to  do, 
But  to  pour  out  a  short  Hosannah  to 
The  Worlds  Almighty  GOVERNOUR  to  whom 
On  this  account  now  these  Petitions  come 
From  lifted  Hands,  and  bended  Knees — 

Dread  Lord, 

By  whom  vast  Hosts  of  Beings  with  a  Word 

Are  made  and  movd:Let  thy  much-hop' d  Salvation 

Shield  us,  like  Walls  from  much-fear'd  Desolationf 

O  Save  New-Englands  Churches;  Let  them  be 

Still  golden  Candlesticks,  belov'd  by  theef 

Still  Puritans ;  Still  Iv'ry'  Pallaces. 

Keep  up  the  Quickset  Hedge  about  them;  Please 

To  keep  the  gladsome  Streams  of  them  alive. 

Save  Middletown,  and  cause  the  Place  to  thrive 

Under  Fat  Clouds  still,  and  that  Bochim  let 

By  thy  Provision  be  a  Bethel  yet. 

Save  ev'ry  soul  that  reads  this  Elegy; 

Like  COLLINS  let  us  live,  like  COLLINS  dy. 

AMEN. 

Sic  mini  contingat  vivere  sicque  mori. 

Sic  optatt 

Qui  longe  sequitur  vestigia  semper  adorans. 
Qualis  vita,  ita 

FINIS 


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